Dina Rubina "On Upper Maslovka"

Such a powerful woman character as in the book "On Upper Maslovka" (Maslovka is the name of the street in Moscow) is very rare, it is created probably once every ten years.

The main character is an old woman, a sculptor. She is a personality of a global scale. She is ninety, and is still full of creative ideas and great vitality, in her youth she mixed with Bourdelle, Modgliani, Zadkine and other outstanding artists. She is completely disconnected from material things - it does not matter what's for dinner, as long as there is something; her housekeeper is stealing - well, everyone lives as he may; she is ordered to wear a clean gown – she would wear it, but would grumble at the cult of clothing. The main thing in her life is work and only work, so many images are crowded in the brain, and time is needed to translate them into the clay, to revive, to humanize. Her hand is reliable, her eye is sharp as before, the most important is to gain time!

However, her alienation is sometimes difficult for others. She needs orthopedic shoes, but for some reason there is nothing left from her pension and royalties. A true knight of the old lady, the literary critic, Petya, her right hand, a man solving a lot of domestic problems, manages to borrow money, make a little bit of washing and boil the potatoes. He even gets an ironic remark for his efforts: “Petya is neat like a spinster." But the great power of truth, coming from a Woman-Creator draws him, makes it possible to ignore her antics and even tolerate the fact that she almost closed his way into the literary magazine by her inappropriate phone call.

Truth and Creativity are the main characters in this book, which is one of the top of Dina Rubina’s works.

There is, an uncharacteristic for Dina Rubina, way to speak about herself in the third person.The image of the translator, Nina, - dark skin, black hair, a creative profession, the ability to resist those who try to behave arrogantly in the hope that intellectuals would keep silent - reminds very much the writer. She is not the main protagonist, but she holds up several storylines. The author of this novel for the first time tried to have a disengaged look at herself and she succeeded.

Charlie McGee: deadly dangerous child (Firestarter)

For those who like suspense.

"Firestarter" is a novel about a little girl who has the ability of pyrokinesis, which is the ability to light or control fire with the mind. The book is written in the genre of mystical thriller with elements of paranoia drama. Andy McGee and his daughter, Charlie, are in the center of the story. Andy had once taken part in a crazy scientist's experiment where for two hundred bucks he agreed to take the drug with an unusual name. As a result of experiments, Andy was able to manipulate others by controlling their minds.  During the experiment, Andy met a girl named Vicki, who later became his wife and gave birth to Charlie who soon impressed the parents by her strong ability of pyrokinesis.

Charlie from an early age was instilled fear of her unusual gift and as a result, the girl was afraid to hurt someone. At the same time her ability absorbed her, Charlie enjoyed using the gift. Her ability became stronger every time she torched something. The kid got acquainted with the feeling of guilt from the first years of life, which influenced greatly her perception of the world. She had quite a high intellect for her seven years; moreover, her ability of pyrokinesis was accompanied by a supernatural intuition.

The relationship between Andy and Charlie is remarkable. Andy loved his daughter into oblivion, going to extreme measures, desperately trying to protect her. However, upon reading the book you get the impression that Charlie knew very well that it was rather her powerful gift which was able to protect the father. She did not use her power, apparently, only out of fear that her father would not forgive her.

And yet, when the force within her reached the boiling point, Charlie let herself go and made a real firestorm. In this way she took revenge on those who broke the life of her father and freed herself.

A lot of questions hang in the air after reading the book, the foremost among them is “what happened next?” However, there is no answer to this question, the reader can only speculate on that.

Clamp "XxxHolic"

Good manga for girls 14+ 

Manga Xxxholic is one of the projects of the  famous studio CLAMP, staffed by female artists. What differentiates CLAMP’s works from the others? The worlds illustrated by them are more or less related. This feature is manifested most clearly in Xxxholic and Tsubasa Chronicle.

XxxHolic and Tsubasa Chronicle have completely different plots, which are linked by some common characters. Organic integration of the same storylines in both works, palpable connection between them even if they deal with completely different events, close interweaving of the characters and destinies, all this makes us to admire the boundless imagination of the creators.

One of the common characters of XxxHolic and Tsubasa Chronicle is Itihara Yuuko, a witch of measurements and an owner of a shop of desires. To make a more or less complete picture of Yuuko, it is better to read both mangas, as each manga is only one aspect of the events. However, Yuuko in Xxxholic is one of the main characters and her image is revealed a lot better than in Tsubasa Chronicle.

Yuuko-san, as she is called by the schoolboy Watanuki, is a young eccentric (seemingly anyway) woman who knows magic. Among other things, Yuuko manages the store of desires where Watanuki works. The shop is a small building, which can be accessed only by those who desire for something passionately. Yuuko helps people to attain the desired for the rewards in form of artifacts or some services.

The witch is very sharp-tongued which her favorite Watanuki. Despite the constant ridicule from her part, Yuuko is bound infinitely to her young employee. She teaches him gradually not only magic, but also other important things. Development of Yuuko’s character is slow and hardly noticeable to the reader, however, in the last volume she is not quite the same sarcastic, drunken, always eager for entertainment witch. There are in her character, oddly enough, more and more secrets, some of them still remain uncovered. The more Yuuko opens the more she becomes mysterious. Also the tragedy of her fate appears, and some romance becomes noticeable.

Unfortunately, the manga Xxxholic, as well as Tsubasa Chronicle, has not yet ended. Admirers can only hope that the creators come up with an ending not less great than the story itself.

Marc Levy "Just like Heaven"

One writer said: "The thoughts, ideas, and even more the story are exactly what interests me least of all in the literature. What is dear to me in the literature is the side which is out of analysis - voice range, flavor, color and phonetic structure, in general, what we usually call an inexplicable attraction".

I think the first book of Marc Levy "Just like Heaven" would not attract the attention of the above writer, because there's little of "inexplicable attraction" in it; however there's an interesting story line.

It is a book about a girl, Lauren, who worked hard in the hospital. As it is common among doctors, she worked for 24 hours and went home dying from fatigue. Sorry for the digression, but I can not understand why doctors exhaust themselves so much, why health professionals work so "unhealthily"? Can anyone explain this?

Returning to the book, Lauren had an accident ... and turned into a ghost: her body sank into a deep coma, and the soul wandered around as it pleased, without stint or restraint. Meanwhile, her apartment was rented to a young architect, Arthur, and the most surprising - he was able to see this beautiful ghost and chat with Lauren-ghost! Only he was able to help her, because no one else could see her.

It is an amazing love story that Steven Spielberg filmed. What else can be sayid? True love rescues even in such unusual circumstances. Not everyone is able to love like that!

Laura Van Wormer "Expose"

They say the image of a woman presented in modern literature, is far from the images of Jane Eyre and Elizabeth Bennet. Is this so? I think it is not. Time has changed, I would say the decor has changed, but, in fact, the strength of the character and the challenge to society have remained the same. What do you think? Who from the modern literature may compete with Jane Eyre?

Let’s take, for example, the main characters of the novel "Expose" by Laura Van Wormer. There are three different women. Verity Rhodes is a successful publisher of the best American glossy magazine, which is going to publish materials about Cassy Cochran, president of the Darenbrook Broadcasting System. Verity Rhodes has a hidden agenda and wants Sally Harrington, principal heroine of the book, to play her game. Sally is the most interesting character - a young journalist from the province, who by mere chance finds herself in the center of mass-media life in New York. She gets a chance to become famous and make a brilliant career just by profiling Cassy. And of course, Sally is not going to miss the chance.  It appears in the process that her way lays through hardship to the stars. Dirty secrets, envy, jealousy and murder wait for Sally on the road to success. And, as it happens always in novels, happiness and success will come from an entirely unexpected source.

Sally Harrington is a simple girl, charming in her simple, at first glance, feelings. It is clearly shown how she makes choices between unfair and right, appropriate and inappropriate, passion and habit. The characters as Sally Harrington, imperfect and due to that even more attractive, that modern readers might like.

The entire narrative is permeated with the main motif - any woman can achieve the heights, only the higher you climb the harder you fall, and be ready to be tripped up cruelly. The book shows that any, even the most ordinary woman can become successful and loved. Just give a little bit of try and happiness will glide like a bird in your hands.

Taisha Abelar - The Sorcerer’s Crossing: A Woman’s Journey

Taisha Abelar is a magician of a new generation and belongs to the party of the last nagual, Carlos Castaneda, whom Times called "an enigma wrapped in a mystery".  (Carlos Castaneda is an author of books that describe a teaching of Toltec shamans)

From a practical point of view, the book of Taisha Abelar is better than the whole Castaneda’s saga about the party of the nagual, Don Juan. The thing is that Don Juan is too powerful and eccentric, he makes people to lose their minds, so to speak, and he does it directly from Castaneda's books. His vocabulary is complex and expressive, his actions are full of drama, his energy feels coming down in torrents. Communicating with Don Juan is not so safe, even if it is through the book. Impressible persons ran to smoke Mescalito, or, with a completely brain-washed face, announce themselves as "warriors", or immediately identify themselves as naguals and begin to form parties of “seers”. 

The explanations of Taisha Abelar are simple and straightforward. Everything that Castaneda fit into multiple volumes you will find in her book. She is more practical. Magic tricks, exercises helping to achieve health, beauty and energy release are, in many ways, similar to those taught by daoists. It is simple – do this and that and you will find happiness. May be I found Taisha more understandable, because she was taught a women way. Her companion, Florinda Donner, said that women are closer to the “knowledge” due to the following difference between men and women: "While men are building their understanding in words, women are creating their understanding with their lives. Both methods are equally effective, but each of them corresponds to their way of life. In terms of energy, a man connected with the knowledge by something like a cone, and he moves to the knowledge step by step. In terms of physics, this can be described as rays of light, and men are moving in the direction of its source, but never reach it. For women it is different, because for them the cone is upside down".

Four shamans from the party of Don Juan (Nelida, Clara, Emilito and Don Juan himself) taught Taisha different techniques. It is very interesting to read Taisha’s view on the same people (or rather the super-humans), which Castaneda described earlier in his works.

The book is very interesting and inspiring as Taisha’s message to people: "We constantly hear from people - if only I was a member of your group, then I could do this or that. But they do not realize that the place, where you are, is something with which you need to start."

Stephen King "Carrie"

"Carrie" by Stephen King is one of his works where the story revolves around teenagers.

Carrie White lives with her mother-schizophrenic, a fanatical believer, who thinks that her daughter is a devil incarnate. Her life in school is far from being good, classmates mock at her in every possible way, and she can not respond to them. For a time no one suspects what a terrible power lays dormant inside this rejected by all, untidy girl, no one except her mother, who, in spite of her madness, feels Carrie’s strangeness and fears her.

King portrayed masterfully the inner world of a teenage girl, who has no friends and normal family. Carrie continues to be abject and fearful even after she learns about her gift of telekinesis. She begins to thaw just after she is invited to the prom. However, a few kind words are not enough when you are hated throughout the life. Carrie, feeling that she can live a better life, no longer is able to return to her past. So when the bullying continues, she tries to defend herself, she has already changed. The only thing her powers now are much greater than those of an ordinary man, which she demonstrates in the book.

In addition to the main character in the novel, there are other interesting characters, among them, Sue Snell, a classmate of Carrie. She is a slightly exaggerated example of a person tormented by guilt. Unlike many others, she later regrets her behavior, and this is the cause of her suffering. Here, however, the question arises: what is better - to live with the guilt, or have a horrible death, until the last minute thinking you are on the right path?

John Galsworthy "The End of the Chapter"

We know the works of John Galsworthy. But it is perhaps only to "The Forsyte Saga". Meanwhile, the closing cycle of the Forsyte chronicles “The end of the chapter” stays in a shadow. The cycle includes three novels: “Maid in Waiting”, “Flowering Wilderness”, “One More River”.

“Maid in Waiting” is a story of the struggle, elegant, but full of Dinny Cherrell’s desire to not let her family be insulted and to restore the reputation of her brother Hubert. Mr. Hallorsen, an American Professor, invites Hubert to an expedition to Latin America and then actually leaves all the things to no one but Hubert.

Hubert, though a former military officer, is a very humane man, when he sees the muleteers torture mules, he first makes a remark to the most negligent one, then he flogs him, and when finally the muleteer attacks him, Hubert cannot restrain himself and kills the villain. Hubert faces trial and imprisonment; unless it is proved that he acted within the limits of self-defense. Hubert himself is in depression, so two brave girls take up the struggle: Dinny, his sister, who decides to publish and present Hubert’s diary to the society, and the bride, Jean Tasburgh, who is ready for everything, even to steal the fiancé and take him away to another country.

Then Professor Hallorsen arrives from the United States to England, unaware that his statements set Hubert up. Mr. Holorsen arrives and… falls in love with Dinny! And she does not want that the Professor testify and save her brother just because he loves her, she seeks the uncompromising English truth.

Tamaoki Benkyo "Blood: The Last Vampire 2000"

Tamaoki Benkyo remained true to himself while creating this one-volume manga. Working in the horror genre, the author followed a realistic trend in the graphics that is why the scenes of violence and blood are impressive. What makes this manga distinctive is the atmosphere of all shades of madness correctly embodied by the creator.

The main heroine of the manga is a girl named Saya. She is the secret weapon of the state secret organization that tries to eliminate the consequences of their own experiments on human beings. The creatures, which appeared as a result of these experiments, are forced to feed themselves with human blood. Saya’s mission is to kill them. The girl herself has no idea who she actually is. As the events unfold Saya learns of the existence of a girl, an exact picture of herself, and finally meets her face to face.

Despite the fact that Saya looks like a schoolgirl, she perfectly masters katana and is quite dangerous. It is almost impossible to kill her since she is not a human being. However, Saya is a docile instrument in the hands of her commanders, at least until the moment when she discovers the truth about herself.

The second main character of Blood: The Last Vampire 2000 is Maya, which is a replica of Saya. However, they are only superficially similar. Maya runs a gang of vampires, those creatures born from experiments. The aim of Maya is to meet with Saya that is why Maya organizes a variety of provocations. This character bears all sorts of vices, which was clearly illustrated in the pages of the manga. Maya, in a sense, is even more interesting than Saya as her motives are hidden until the very last chapter.

Shakespeare's Juliet

A lot is written about Shakespeare's Juliet, and a drop in the sea will be our short reflection.

The destiny of a woman is to love and to be loved. For centuries, this statement was above all other views about women. But it was impossible even to think that woman could love freely. Only well-established norms, customs and traditions dictated their will to lovers. Juliet's rebellion is a great affirmation of a free love.

The spiritual path of the girl from her acquaintance with Romeo until her sacrifices to the true passion is astonishing. In the exposition of the play she is a naive child, the embodiment of gentleness and ignorance of life. The story of her personal growth is a gradual understanding of the reality of love, getting more profound with every step of the play. In the final of the tragedy, Juliet is a devotee of a feeling superior to the force of the life itself.

How many sacrifices has the heroine made  in the comprehension of love? Not just a lot. She donated all that connected her with the mundane world: she repudiated her family, refused the way of life, which she grew  up with, she was willing to risk death by drinking the love potion, finally, she followed the beloved without hesitation, without accepting a different path.

Did Juliet know that tragic course of events might follow? She did. Her monologue at the end of the fourth act is filled with horror and shows the power of courage.

Maturity of Juliet is a much more profound phenomenon than the love of Romeo. While he talks about himself, using the image of a pupil, Juliet worries about an impending danger for Romeo in the Capulet estate. Finally, the words that predetermine the course of events belong to her:

"Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny

What I have spoke: but farewell compliment!
Dost thou love me? ".

The image of Juliet is like a beacon in the world literature. “Love is above death” is a truth carried on by generations of writers.

Douglass Kennedy “A Special Relationship”

Today I will talk about a book  Douglas Kennedy "A Special Relationship" which is full of women characters: tragic and comic, suffering and relentless.

The main character is a Boston journalist, Sally Goodchild, who meets a London journalist, Tony Thompson, during their business trip. Neither he nor she looks seriously at their relationship, however when Tony is transferred to London, he offers Sally to join him and try to find a job in the London press.  As for Sally, she informs him gleefully that she is pregnant. This is, we can say, her last chance - she is thirty seven years old and she is determined to give birth. Tony is delighted, and offers her a marriage.

“So what is interesting in all that?” you might ask. Uh, the story just begins! Tony and Sally buy a small but nice apartment in London, and then it turns out that Sally needs to be hospitalized for several weeks before the childbirth. This is just after her transfer to the London office of the newspaper! The chief is not happy, and Sally realizes that she is out of job. Tony does not behave like a man; he panics, but tries to hold on.

A rich friend, Margaret, is the only Sally's friend in London (except for the neighbor, Julie) pays her a private room in the hospital. Sally realizes that it is not a desire to boast, but a kind gesture. But Tony revolts and Sally, with the struggle, persuades him to accept this gift.

The childbirth runs hard. Doctors do not say anything definite, but believe that there might be an oxygen deficiency which affects the brain of the baby. Cesarean operation. Sally suffers from pain. Coldish nurses and authoritarian doctor say nothing definite confining themselves to phrases "We hope" ,"One can assume that everything is fine ..." What woman would not have fallen into a panic in such a situation? And the doctors try to feed her with the maximum amount of sedation which she refuses.

She is allowed to go home, but a little Jack (that is how the father called the child without the consent of the mother) is still in the hospital. Sally realizes that something is wrong with her: she is tired of worrying, dulled, and her maternal instinct is weakened.

The entire care of the baby, when the baby is moved back home, falls on the shoulders of the tired Sally, and Tony writes a novel. In fact, he acts dishonorably! When Sally leaves for three days to attend the funeral of her ex-husband, Tony, backed by different evidences and the fact that Sally, three weeks after the birth, was in the hospital due to her depression, gets a court permission to stay with the child. He leaves with the baby.

Mikhail Bulgakov "The Master and Margarita"

Master and Margarita (Wordsworth Classics)

"She was carrying repulsive, alarming yellow flowers." In this unexpected way begins the acquaintance with Margarita, the key character of this novel. These spring flowers represented ugliness contrasting with her beauty to the Master.

I am not a Bulgakovphile and so much has been said about the book, that all I can do is to present a summary of events and opinions. I can also add my little voice to the one of The London Times, who called “The Master and Margarita” one of the most brilliant works of the 20th century. It is difficult to determine what the genre of the novel is. It is a satire, mystery, romance and philosophical parable.

This is the story of how the devil appeared in the post-revolutionary Moscow. The devil introduces himself to people as Professor Woland and he is accompanied by his charming retinue (whatever comes from the devil must be charming). All people who got in contact with Woland and his companions receive punishment for their big and little sins.

The Soviet government does an excellent job for the devil - Moscow of thirties is a place where people do not believe neither in Devil nor in God. In Moscow, however, lives a man, the Master, who wrote a book about the last days of Yeshua (the prototype of which is Jesus Christ) and a Roman procurator, Pontius Pilate, the one who sent Joshua to the execution. The Master burned the novel about Joshua and Pontius Pilate and now resides in a psychiatric clinic.

Margarita, wife of a “known” engineer, Master's mistress, who lost track of him after he got into a mad house, wants only one thing, which is to find and return the Master. Azazello (retinue of Woland) gives hopes to Margarita but for that she must fulfill a service to Woland. Margarita agrees, not immediately though, and becomes acquainted with Woland and his entire entourage. Woland asks her to become a queen of the ball, which he gives in the night from Friday to Saturday (Good Friday). The guests at the ball are not just sinners; they are only true, ideological villains.

Another storyline of the novel, which develops in parallel, is the novel about Pontius Pilate, the one that was written by the Master. It tells the story of Pontius Pilate, who did not dare to speak out against the Sanhedrim (Council) and was not able to save Yeshua.

Mikhail Bulgakov "The Master and Margarita"

Master and Margarita (Wordsworth Classics)

"She was carrying repulsive, alarming yellow flowers." In this unexpected way begins the acquaintance with Margarita, the key character of this novel. These spring flowers represented ugliness contrasting with her beauty to the Master.

I am not a Bulgakovphile and so much has been said about the book, that all I can do is to present a summary of events and opinions. I can also add my little voice to the one of The London Times, who called “The Master and Margarita” one of the most brilliant works of the 20th century. It is difficult to determine what the genre of the novel is. It is a satire, mystery, romance and philosophical parable.

This is the story of how the devil appeared in the post-revolutionary Moscow. The devil introduces himself to people as Professor Woland and he is accompanied by his charming retinue (whatever comes from the devil must be charming). All people who got in contact with Woland and his companions receive punishment for their big and little sins.

The Soviet government does an excellent job for the devil - Moscow of thirties is a place where people do not believe neither in Devil nor in God. In Moscow, however, lives a man, the Master, who wrote a book about the last days of Yeshua (the prototype of which is Jesus Christ) and a Roman procurator, Pontius Pilate, the one who sent Joshua to the execution. The Master burned the novel about Joshua and Pontius Pilate and now resides in a psychiatric clinic.

Margarita, wife of a “known” engineer, Master's mistress, who lost track of him after he got into a mad house, wants only one thing, which is to find and return the Master. Azazello (retinue of Woland) gives hopes to Margarita but for that she must fulfill a service to Woland. Margarita agrees, not immediately though, and becomes acquainted with Woland and his entire entourage. Woland asks her to become a queen of the ball, which he gives in the night from Friday to Saturday (Good Friday). The guests at the ball are not just sinners; they are only true, ideological villains.

Another storyline of the novel, which develops in parallel, is the novel about Pontius Pilate, the one that was written by the Master. It tells the story of Pontius Pilate, who did not dare to speak out against the Sanhedrim (Council) and was not able to save Yeshua.

Astrid Lingren "Seacrow Island"

Buy Seacrow Island

Good books for girls age 7-14.


This is a beautiful book. This is Lingren and that expresses all…

”Seacrow Island” written by Astrid Lindgren first as TV series and later on issued as a novel is one of the most famous of her books.

It is a story of how one Swedish family spends its summer holidays on the Seacrow Island. The family consists of the dad, Melker Melkersson, his eldest daughter, Malin, and three sons: Johan, Niklas and Pelle. Melkerssons got acquainted with many people in the island and most of which eventually become their good friends.

"Seacrow Island” is so full of very well described heroes and characters that you begin to think they exist in reality.

As for the female characters in the book, they are so bright that it is not possible to stay silent. You should start, of course with Tjorven since she is one of the main personages. Tjorven is like a fairy of the Seacrow island, she meets and sees off the ferry with the passengers in all weather conditions, and a huge dog Boatswain makes her image even slightly mystical. Tjorven is the favorite of the whole island, she is welcomed by everyone and she comes and goes whenever he wants. Without Tjorven the Seacrow island would not have been the place that everyone loves. A girl is, in a sense, a symbol of the island.

Jean Little "From Anna"

Buy the book "From Anna"

 Good books for girls age 10-15.

«From Anna» is a story of Jean Little, Canadian author, about the life of a German family on the eve of the World War II.

The book is partly autobiographical, Jean Little, as well as her little heroine, had bad eyesight, studying, at the same time, in a regular school. Autobiographical touch is felt everywhere: in the manner of narration, in the author's apparent sympathy for Anna, in profound and masterfully described Anna’s inner world.

The book is built on a simple, well known and the win-win principle: sad beginning and happy ending on Christmas night. The action takes place in Germany during the Great Depression, in an atmosphere of general insecurity and fear for the future, which automatically makes the story very realistic. Subsequent emigration to Canada also looks very authentic, despite the fact that the process of moving to Canada is covered without much detail.

Reading about the relationships of Anna with her father gives you the most positive emotions. Her farther is perhaps the only one who sees the true nature of the girl. He is, without any doubt, right when calling her "special", because the child differs really from other children, not only by impaired vision. Anna is a very intelligent child with a rich imagination and capacity for empathy. However, all this can manifest only in appropriate circumstances, which are gradually created when, finally, it becomes clear that Anna has a very poor vision.

The child starts to see the world through the glasses prescribed for her and over time understands better both the world and her own personality. By the end of the book Anna transforms from an intimidated by everyone, shy and awkward child into a gentle girl with the ability to bestow love and tenderness on her nearest and dearest. Her family notices the changes and discovers the new Anna.

The book "From Anna" in the literal sense offers the side of the never experienced world. A good warm feeling remains long in your soul after reading this good book. Buy the book "From Anna"